Strategic Optimization of Oil Drain Intervals

Overview

A major North American mining operation partnered with Fluid Life to analyze and optimize their engine oil drain intervals (ODEs) across their fleet of Caterpillar 793C, 793F, and 797F haul trucks. Using oil analysis insights and industry best practices, the site achieved significant cost savings (total estimated ROI of $1.6M), increased equipment availability, and reduced planned maintenance downtime.

The Challenge

The operation had long followed a conservative engine oil change interval of 500 hours. While this schedule protected the assets, it also caused more planned maintenance events, leading to higher consumables usage, less truck availability, and increased labor costs.

The site’s reliability team aimed to assess whether it was possible to safely extend engine oil drain intervals without sacrificing component protection or causing unexpected downtime.

The Solution

Working with Fluid Life’s account management and technical teams, the mining operation carried out a comprehensive oil analysis program across their fleet, supported by industry benchmarking and peer comparisons.

After evaluating:

• Additive depletion curves
• Filter clogging trends
• Brake system maintenance intervals (PM2)
• OEM guidance and third-party research

The team established a new engine oil drain target of 750 engine hours.

Why 750 Hours?

• Corresponds to 900-meter hours, allowing a 100-hour buffer before the 1,000-hour PM2 limit.
• Aligns with brake filter and engine filter lifecycles, both of which peak at 1,000 hours.
• Prevents additive depletion observed after 700 hours, per used oil analysis data.
• Balances operational flexibility and component protection, a vital aspect of field maintenance planning.

Quantified Results

By increasing oil drain intervals from 500 to 750 hours, the site achieved significant savings in three key areas.

Fleet-Level Savings Summary

Total Annual Savings:

• Consumables: $1,363,355 USD
• Labor/PM Cost Avoidance: $266,175 USD
• Total Estimated ROI: $1,629,400 USD

Downtime Impact:

• PMs previously accounted for 3% of truck downtime
• Optimization reduced this to 2.2%, improving fleet productivity

Key Takeaways

• Data-Driven Decision Making: Engine oil analysis and component trend data enabled confident interval extension.
• Maintenance Alignment: The 750-hour interval harmonized engine, brake, and filtration servicing requirements.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Reliability engineers, OEMs, and Fluid Life worked jointly to validate interval changes.
• Scalable Value: The approach applies to other heavy equipment fleets aiming to reduce costs while protecting critical components.

Conclusion

This project demonstrates the power of combining oil analysis data with operational insight. By rethinking standard PM schedules and using Fluid Life’s expertise, the client safely extended service intervals, increased uptime, and reduced annual operating costs by over $1.6 million.

Disclaimer:

This case study is provided for informational purposes only and reflects results from a specific customer under unique conditions. While Fluid Life strives for accuracy, no warranty is given regarding applicability to other operations. Use of this information is at the sole discretion and risk of the end-user. Fluid Life assumes no liability for any loss or damage resulting from reliance on this content.